KARACHI, Nov 15: Though women constitute half of the city’s population, there are only two hostels, none of them in the government sector, with a total capacity of less than a 100 for the working women who come from all over the country to work in the metropolis.

Both hostels are being operated by the non-governmental organisations. One, the Young Women Christians Association has its premises in the centre of the city on M.A. Jinnah Road next to the Mama Parsi School and the other one being operated by the Pakistan Federation of Business and Professional Women in Clifton behind the old Mideast Hospital. Both of these hostels admit only those women who come from other parts of the country.

With the increase in literacy rate and number of working women, the acute shortage of women hostels restricts their career growth. The problem is aggravating with every passing day.

Interestingly, the managements of both these women hostels acknowledge that there was a dire need of such facilities for women in the city, neither of them was ready to expand the housing capacity.

To ensure that the residents are really the working women or a student a certificate from the employer or the head of the educational institution is required, besides presence of parents or brothers in case of an unmarried female and presence of husband in case of married one is required at the time of admission to both these hostels. Only one of these hostels has accommodation for tourists.

At the YWCA male guests are not allowed in rooms and only meet either in lawns or common drawing room.

There is no canteen, however, common kitchens are available for cooking. Bathrooms are also common. Some rooms, also have small kitchens and separate bathrooms.

YWCA chief Prof Nuzhat Williams, who is also the principal of Govt Karachi College for Women, said that the ‘in’ and ‘out’ registers were maintained. Only one late pass is allowed per week, she said. If an inmate stays out without permission, she is told to vacate the hostel the next day.

She said that owing to the centralised location and good security arrangements, families feel safe to send women to stay at the century-old YWCA. The monthly rent is around Rs2,000 while tourists pay Rs200 (US$4) per day and could stay up to 15 days.

The Pakistan Federation of Business and Professional Women chief, Salima Ahmad, who is a former federal secretary, said that the government had provided some subsidy for the establishment of the hostel which became operational in early 1980s. But now there is no subsidy and the organisation runs it on self-help basis with the rent ranging between Rs1,500 to Rs7,000 per month.

The hostel also has a tailor shop, a beauty parlour and a store. There is a common kitchen and bathrooms for the inmates. A few rooms, however, have separate kitchen and bathroom.

Ms Williams and Ms Ahmad agreed that there was dire need to establish more housing facilities in the seventh biggest metropolis of the world for working women coming from other cities. More women will enter the job market in the port city and the housing problem for working women will aggravate further.